Tricks to Ply — Mary Korte

BRIEF DESCRIPTION of BOOK 3: Tricks To Ply: Yes, it's true. Many who ply tricks find their tricks backfiring on them. One man cooks up a sure-fire plan to trick Santa; but Santa, a master game player, turns the table on him. Before tricking this man, what believable character does Santa turn himself into? The mystery man who appears on a single mother's doorstep Christmas Eve . . . who is he? Who sets him up to fall in love with this woman? Who deflates the Snoopy Reporter's hopes for a sensational story with one four-letter word? (No. It's not a bad word.) Lastly, who dares to put Santa through a mock trial and why? Who “outs” Santa's secret? Beware. You may get tricked, too! Praise for entire KALEIDOSCOPE LODGE trilogy: “What starts out sounding like a ditsy woman chattering about her anxieties turns into an engaging story about that woman, her husband and a cast of characters that would make Dickens proud. The story centers on none other than Santa Claus and his wife and is set largely in the North Pole community and Seattle, Washington. "This Mr. Claus has real personality. He's not just a roly-poly robot chuckling “Ho, ho, ho!” Besides, there is something really quirky about him. And his wife, well she has real depth, emotionally and otherwise. "Hanging over the whole North Pole community is a secret-keeping ethic that has its good side but eventually becomes a difficult burden, especially for Santa. "The story gives a thoughtful treatment of a person who has to live with flashbacks of an abusive childhood. In fact many of the characters are dealing with the hand real life has dealt them. You may recognize yourself or people you know among the vivid characters. "And get ready for some juicy expletives; some of them you might wish to substitute for the ones that fly unbidden out of your own mouth.” -- Loren Steinhauer, Ph.D., Plasma Physicist, Research Consultant, Bothell, WA “This trilogy is a fun, creative and humorous read that confronts us with an unconscious ideology of racism without lecturing or judging. "Is Santa really White or . . . Well, it depends. Read this creative trilogy to find out Santa's racial secret and why he refuses to share it with the world. One comes away giving some thought to why we ever thought this man had to be White -- or a man for that matter. It is a most enjoyable read that brought smiles and laughs to me." -- Janice M. DeLange, Ph.D, psychotherapist, Grand Rapids, MI; professor, School of Social Work, UW, WMU and GVSU “Captivating from beginning to end . . . wanted to keep reading to find out what happens next. It deals with real life problems in an enjoyable way and introduces a new and refreshing slant on the idea of Santa Claus. Children and adults of all ages will love it” -- Dianne Wilson, M.Ed., Educator K-8, Detroit, MI "This trilogy is a real eye-opener about how other cultures see Santa. Good Read." -- Bonnie Marshall, Marshall Realty, Yakima, WA "It challenges people's thinking and illustrates that the gift of giving transcends all races." -- Mary Elmore, shop owner, Christmas Gifts on Broadway, Everett, WA AUTHOR'S COMMENT: Thirty years ago a client said to me, “My husband and I don't promote Santa Claus to our children because Santa is a White thing.” I believe they were right. Today -- albeit unconsciously -- Santa is still imprinted in our minds as being White. I asked, “Can I change this? Can I possibly turn this beloved icon into a Santa for all ethnicities?” My creative mind said, “Yes, you can. But to create change, change nothing. Rather, ADD something new and do NOT negate anything previously written about this man.” Thus, I started sculpting in words what I hope becomes a new worldview of Santa Claus. -- Mary Korte, MSW, Clinical Social Worker, Sculptor, Writer